


34,000 Feet above the Ground

by kaorusquee



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Business Trip, Flying, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-09-07
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:38:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaorusquee/pseuds/kaorusquee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fill for a prompt. Eren is a flight attendant; Levi is a regular passenger and has a major crush on Eren.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Encounter

**34,000 Feet above the Ground**

_Chapter 1_

Levi hated flying. He would much rather drive to get to places. Driving was safer, he thought. He didn’t like the idea of careening through the air on a jet. There were too many miles separating him from the ground. If something went wrong, he would most certainly die. At least in a car crash he’d be a lot closer to the ground, and have a chance at living. But not on a plane. 

Regardless, he was the spokesperson for a major company, one that crossed multiple countries. He wasn’t able to drive across the ocean. So he flew. The only good part about it was the company paid for his flights. They’d better, since he did so much positive business for them. 

“Thank you for your time, Levi.” The assistant told him with a smile. 

He gave her a steely glance. It wasn’t anything personal to her; he just wasn’t one for showing emotion. He glanced at his watch, judging how long he had until his flight home. Not long, he realized. That meeting had gone longer than he’d hoped it would. Grumbling, he hailed a taxi to take him to the hotel to get his belongings. Since he always kept everything tidy, it only took him a few minutes to grab his suitcase and carry on. In record time, not even enough time for the taxi to leave, he was back in it and on the way to the airport.  
………………………………………………………………………………….  
Levi sat back in his first class chair, resolutely not looking out the window. It wouldn’t help if he started hyperventilating now; the plane was still on the ground. He closed his eyes, concentrating on breathing evenly. 

“Sir? Did you want something to drink?” 

Levi opened his eyes. The plane was moving under him. With a start, he realized he’d slept through take-off. He gulped, breathing growing erratic. 

“Sir?” The voice called again. His mind latched onto that voice like a lifeline. Young, hesitant, male, and calming. He turned his head a little, meeting large blue green eyes. Eyes that were more exotic than any he’d even seen. “Are you okay?” The eyes looked down, noticing Levi’s white knuckles. “Would a drink help you?” 

“Maybe. I don’t know. I hate flying.” 

There was a light chuckle, and something was poured into a cup. “Try this; it’s good for soothing upset stomachs.” 

He pressed the cup to his lips, taking an experimental sip. Surprise bloomed on his face as he felt his stomach instantly calm. “What’s in this?” 

“Um… Sprite, and some other things. It’s my own creation. I have other passengers to help now. But let me know if you need another cup of it.” With a slight smile, the youth continued down the aisle. 

Levi turned in his seat to watch him. Definitely young, he decided, looking the back over, and recalling the boyish face. But old enough to be a flight attendant. Dark chestnut brown hair. Those gorgeous exotic eyes. And… Levi’s eyes opened wide and his mouth fell open… the most amazing ass he’d ever seen on anyone, male OR female.

He hastily turned back in his seat, appalled when he felt heat on his face. No; it was impossible. He was Levi. He’d flown countless flights (even though he hated them), had been all over the world. He refused to believe that he could fall for someone he’d just met, someone that was probably considered jail bait. He was an important person in his company. He couldn’t be feeling things for some flight attendant. 

He took another sip of the drink the youth had given him, rolling it on his tongue. Sprite, he had been told. Sprite and other things. There was some sort of herb mixture in it, Levi mused, trying to separate the flavors. And maybe just a hint of brandy. Hmm… the kid was good. It made Levi wonder what else he was good at. 

Catching himself again, he forced himself to turn away from that train of thought. He leaned back again with closed eyes, feeling calmer than he ever had on a flight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now rated M for chapter 3.


	2. Second Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Erwin is introduced and Levi visits a bar.

_Chapter 2_

“Good work this time, Levi.” 

Levi glared in distaste as an arm was thrown across his shoulders. He would have kicked the man, except it was his boss. “I always do a good job.” He retorted, carefully extracting himself from the embrace. He knew his boss had a crush on him, but he had no inclination to act on it, even though Erwin kept trying. 

The tall blond pouted briefly, but was soon smiling at Levi again. “We should go out and celebrate. Seriously, come with me. I’ll buy you a drink.” 

“No thanks.” Levi muttered, turning away. “I just want to get home and sleep in my own bed.” 

“I could keep you company…” 

Levi ignored that statement. “When is my next trip?” 

Erwin frowned at being shot down again, but he was quick to return to professionalism. “You head to New York in a week. If everything goes well, you’ll only be there a few days.” 

“New York again? That’s where I just was, Erwin. Can’t you schedule these all at the same time?” 

“Now, now, you get to travel all over. I wouldn’t be complaining, if I were you. I could fire you, you know.” 

“You won’t. I do good business for you. You wouldn’t be able to find someone competent enough to replace me.” 

The infatuated blond rolled his eyes. “Go get some sleep. You backtalk too much when you’re tired.” 

“Yes Sir.”   
……………………………………………………………  
Levi stared at the ceiling of his bedroom. It was pristine white, just like everything else in his penthouse apartment. It had never bothered him before, but now he wondered if he should add some color somewhere. Color… he fell asleep thinking about exotic blue green. 

Beep…beep…beep…beep

“Ugh!” Levi groaned, rolling over to shut off the annoying alarm clock. It was too damn early. But he had a flight to catch. Dragging himself out of bed, he staggered into the bathroom to shower. Once that was done, he dressed in a simple suit, one that looked nice but was still comfortable enough for flying in. His other suits were already packed away in his travel case, and any essentials he might need were in his carry on. Giving himself a last look in the mirror, he walked to his car and drove to the airport. 

The flight was horrid. There was no bright eyed attendant to give him something for his stomach. Instead, the flight attendants had been all twittery females that had nothing better to do than to exchange stories right next to him, stories he’d have rather not heard. It was almost too much for him, and he’d briefly toyed with the idea of walking back to the coach class and asking if anyone wanted to switch seats. But that would have required him to walk on the plane, which was an absolute no in his book. So he toughed it out. 

But once he got to his hotel, he stashed his stuff (neatly) and made for the nearest bar. Even straight brandy would calm his nerves enough to let him sleep. 

“Brandy.” He groaned when he sat at the bar. His eyes drooped closed as he waited. 

A glass was set softly in front of him. He downed half of it in one gulp, sputtering when it didn’t taste like he’d expected it to. But the taste was still familiar… “Hey. What did-?” 

“Straight brandy won’t work as quickly.” The bartender’s eyes were all too familiar. He’d dreamed of them often this past week. 

“You’re a bartender as well as a flight attendant?” Levi blurted before he had time to think. 

The boy chuckled. “No, not really. I just like to help Jean out when I’m in the States. And since his bartender for tonight called in sick, and I was in town, I volunteered.” 

“Are you even legal to work here?” Levi closed his mouth with a snap. He shouldn’t be asking questions like this; it wasn’t like him. It had to be because of the crappy flight. But he saw the male flush, and wondered just how accurate his question was. 

“Hey Eren!” A loud voice yelled, with a harsh edge that hurt Levi’s ears. “You aren’t supposed to flirt with the patrons. Get back to work!” 

The bartender turned even more crimson. Despite protesting that he wasn’t flirting, he turned away from Levi and began cleaning glasses. 

Levi swirled his drink, feeling better than he’d expected to coming in here. The bar hadn’t been a complete waste, after all. And he’d learned a few new things: the boy with the beautiful eyes and awesome ass worked in a bar sometimes, he didn’t always live in the states, and he wasn’t really legal to be in a bar. His name was Eren. And Levi had also learned that he was hopelessly and completely falling in love with the brat. Putting his head down on the bar, he groaned. This was not the way his life was supposed to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not a fan of Erwin, but I will try to portray him as accurately as I can.  
>  Rating will probably change in the next chapter.  
> Sorry about the short chapters; the next one should be longer.


	3. Third Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dealings with Hanji and what dreams can do to you. Rating changes to M with this chapter.

Chapter 3

This venture hadn’t gone as well. They’d wanted to argue with Levi, insisting their way was the best way to promote the company. Even if it really wasn’t. He’d been forced to call Erwin, to extend his time in New York while he worked them around. 

Two weeks. Two bloody annoying weeks until he was able to crack them, before he was finally able to book a flight home. And his mood had worsened when he realized Eren was no longer stateside. He lamented the chance to fly with him again. 

Levi grumbled as he made his way down the ramp toward the plane. It was going to be a really long flight home, with no Eren to keep his mind occupied. 

Or so he thought. But as he stepped onto the plane, he was met with a familiar pair of blue green eyes. He covered his surprise well, walking to his seat. Closing his eyes, his lips curved into the smallest of smiles. It appeared this flight would be bearable, after all. 

The turbulence during liftoff made him a nervous wreck. By the time drinks were offered, he felt flush, and wondered if he’d be able to keep anything down. 

“This should help.” 

Levi looked blearily at the offered cup. His stomach rolled as he swallowed but the mixture did the trick. “Is this addicting?” He might as well ask, since the drink was the only thing that helped his flight nausea. 

“No more than any other drink. The herbs are natural herbs, and there’s only about a finger’s width of brandy in it.” 

Levi looked at Eren’s long fingers, blinking in amusement as the boy turned crimson. 

“Eren!” Another flight attendant draped her arms over the male. “Hey, I want to flirt with this guy for a while. Go give drinks to coach class.” 

The boy flushed darker. Without another word, he made his way down the aisle, unconsciously sashaying his hips as he walked. 

Levi stifled a groan of longing as he watched Eren walk away. Was the boy even aware of how perfect his backside was? 

He forgot the other flight attendant was there until she spoke. “Someone’s crushing on Er~en!” 

The singsong voice annoyed him, and he glared up at her. “Go away.” 

“Aww, that’s no fun.” She pouted at him. “If I leave now, how will you learn anything about him?” Her face broke into a grin when his expression didn’t change. “My name is Hanji. I’ve known the kid since he was a kid. Now, Eren is amazingly oblivious and naïve. He won’t know you like him unless you actually say something. He is extremely lacking in the relationship department. I don’t think he’s had a steady relationship in, well, ever.” 

“Age?” His tone was not strangled. At least, that’s what he told himself. 

“He’s eighteen. Oh, but his birthday is tomorrow, so he’ll be nineteen.” 

Nineteen, Levi mused. Not legal to work in a bar, as he’d guessed. How he was even able to get a job as a flight attendant was beyond Levi. Eren was, however, legal for a relationship. Luckily. “Does he prefer males?” 

Hanji shrugged. “Like I said, he hasn’t had any serious relationships. So that’s something you’ll have to find out for yourself.” She leaned in closer and Levi had to fight not to flinch away. “I look forward to recording the data.” Whistling, she walked away. 

Levi was bristling, although he refused to show it. He’d gotten some good information from Hanji, but wanting data? Grumbling again, he downed the rest of his drink and pressed the button to call an attendant, calming when Eren was the one to answer. “Oi, Eren. Can you make me another of these?” He shook the empty cup. “That woman fried my nerves.” 

Eren chuckled. “Everyone says that.” He took the cup, mixing up a new drink. “She’s actually really nice. She just… likes drama and research.” 

That earned a snort from Levi. He sipped his new drink, watching Eren. “Where do you live, if not in the States?” 

“In Tokyo. I have friends all over, though. Jean likes it when I’m stateside, because I’m efficient.” 

“And underage.” 

The boy blushed again. Levi decided it was fun to watch the teen change colors. “I’m legal.” The younger male grumbled. “Just not technically legal enough to work in a bar. Which is why I’m not on the books.” 

Levi stared at him, unwilling to believe what he’d just heard. “You work there… for _free_?!” 

“I help him when he needs it.” Eren defended. “And I’m learning a lot. I created what you’re drinking while working there.” 

He had to admit, Eren had him with that statement. “Fine. And thank you.” He groaned and closed his eyes as the plane suddenly lurched. 

He hated flying, so very very much.  
………………………………………………………..  
Those eyes plagued him as he slept. In his dream Eren approached him, fresh out of the shower, hair dishelved. A rosy blush stained his cheeks. “Levi.” Dream Eren breathed. “I want to be with you. Please let me take care of you.” 

Levi moaned as he was drawn into the most sensual kiss he’d ever experienced. His breath hitched when long fingered hands reached inside his pants and… 

“Sir? Sir, are you alright?” 

Someone was shaking him awake. He opened bewildered gray eyes to stare into large blue green ones. 

“Sir?” Eren asked again. 

“Levi.” He responded sleepily. “My name is Levi, not Sir.” 

“You were moaning in your sleep. Did you have a nightmare?” 

Nightmare? Levi mouthed, trying to think. He caught sight of Hanji grinning at him. When she saw him looking, she pointedly glanced at his lap. 

Levi looked down, and his face instantly flamed. “B… bathroom!” He grunted, rushing past the two attendants, one confused, one laughing her head off. 

“Shit.” Levi muttered after locking himself in the small bathroom. “What was I dreaming?!” He closed his eyes, trying to remember. Something about Eren. Something erotic, obviously, or he wouldn’t be sporting the World’s biggest boner right now. Placing one hand over his mouth to stifle any noises he might make, he reached into his pants with his other hand, gripping the hot hard flesh. He envisioned seeing the body beneath Eren’s flight uniform, glistening with sweat after a hard ride. 

He came before he was ready, falling to his knees from the intensity. Oh yes, he had it bad for the teen. He stayed on the ground for a few minutes, until he got his breathing under control. Then he climbed to his feet, legs still a bit weak, and set about cleaning up the mess he’d made. The water he washed his hands with was almost scalding, but it made him feel clean again. 

Hanji was off helping someone when he exited the bathroom, but Eren was in the flight attendant’s niche, reading until he was needed. He gave Levi a quizzical look. 

“Just a dream.” Levi told him. _Sadly._ He sat in his chair again, a small smile gracing his mouth as Eren came over with him. _So much for being emotionless._ Levi thought. In the short time he’d known Eren, the boy had effectively broken through his uncaring unfeeling demeanor. It was actually mildly annoying. He cleared his throat. “So… Eren. If you aren’t busy when you get back to Tokyo, would you like to get a drink with me?” 

“Why?” The boy asked honestly. “I can get a drink any time I want when I’m stateside.” 

That was a blow to Levi, but he should have known better. The kid moonlighted as a bartender, after all. “Dinner then? My treat?” 

“Maybe. I have to find out how soon I’m flying out again. But a free dinner would be nice.” 

That smile almost unglued Levi. He coughed, trying to cover his blush. “O… okay. We can talk more about it after the flight.” 

Another radiant smile, and for the rest of the trip all Levi could see was stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Levi; I love to torture him so much.  
> I honestly don't know if they have hot water on planes. But pretend they do.  
> The reason Eren can be a fight attendant at nineteen will be explained later.


	4. Fourth Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annoyances with Erwin and ultimatums

_Chapter 4_

Naturally, the World turned out to be against him. He had planned on waiting for Eren in the lobby, but it wasn’t meant to be. An annoyed growl escaped his throat as Erwin turned toward him. They matched expressionless look for expressionless look. 

“It hasn’t taken you two weeks on a business trip since you started working for me.” 

“Blame the idiotic people working there. They just didn’t want to listen.” 

“Well, I am listening. You and I are going for a drink, and you are going to tell me exactly what happened. In detail.” 

Levi glared at the tall blond. “I already have plans, Erwin.” 

“Consider them cancelled. This is an order from your boss.” 

He caught Eren’s eye as he left the airport. The youth looked startled to see Levi leaving, and with another male, but he shrugged and turned away. Levi’s gray eyes turned to hard flint. Erwin was going to pay for this missed opportunity. 

Weeks passed, flights occurred, and seasons changed. Much to Levi’s dismay, he hadn’t seen the young attendant on any of his flights, despite only using the airline Eren worked for. His temper grew, if possible, even shorter. The only almost consolation he had was trying to recreate the color of Eren’s eyes from memory. He had several paint chips now, of varying shades of blue green. He constantly carried them with him, hoping to compare them to the actual thing when he finally met up with the youth again.  
………………………………………………………………  
“You leave for Osaka tonight.” 

“Seriously, Erwin? You’re making me _fly_ to Osaka? I could just drive there!” 

Relations between Erwin and Levi hadn’t improved. Levi still held Erwin responsible for the missed opportunity, and Erwin thought Levi was slacking at his job. Oh, Erwin still liked Levi, but he needed him professional more than he needed him as a boyfriend. 

“The company pays for your flight, and it gets you there faster.” Erwin sighed, sitting in his chair. He opened a folder that was sitting on the desk and skimmed its contents. “Your attitude has deteriorated these past months. I don’t know the reason, and I don’t really care to. But it is reflecting in your work. Snapping at people for getting in your way, calling them idiots-” 

“I always call people idiots.” Levi grumbled. 

“Yes, but it has never been this harsh before.” Erwin set the folder aside, looking at the shorter male. “The point is, Levi… your good business is no longer balancing the way you act. Consider Osaka a test; do a good job and keep your temper in check, and I’ll keep you on. If you don’t, you can look for another job.” 

Levi sat in a terminal chair, waiting to board his flight to Osaka. He looked dully out the window, but didn’t really register anything. Erwin’s words had plagued him all day. After thinking about it, he’d realized that Erwin was right. He had to shape up again; he was too far invested in his job to have to start over. 

“Now boarding first class to Osaka.” 

He picked up his carry on and walked down the ramp to the plane. He didn’t feel queasy like usual; rather, he felt empty. Empty and a bit depressed. 

The radiant smile that greeted him halted his footsteps, much to the displeasure of the people behind him. But he didn’t care. A calm he hadn’t felt in a really long time spread through him, chasing away his depression. He actually wanted to jump for joy right then and there. But he composed himself, somewhat. He nodded calmly to Eren as he walked past the youth, but he couldn’t keep the happiness out of his eyes. Seeing Eren was a breath of fresh air to him. Already he could feel the sharp edges of his temper smoothing. 

He fiercely hated the pressure he felt when the plane took off, but for once he wasn’t incapacitated by it. Takeoff meant he was that much closer to speaking with the one he liked. 

Levi barely- _barely_ \- managed to keep the whine out of his voice when Eren appeared, drink in hand. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in weeks.” Wait, did he actually sound grumpy?? 

“Armin and I wanted to tour France while the weather there was still nice. So I took a vacation. Paris is so beautiful, especially at night!” 

“A city after my own heart.” Levi murmured quietly, too quiet for Eren to notice his sudden sadness. He sipped his drink. “Do you understand French?” 

“No.” Eren’s tone was wistful. “But it’s a beautiful language to listen to.” 

“Indeed.” Levi filed that information away for later. He opened his mouth again, but an angry voice behind him demanded a drink. He sighed and sent the boy on his way. 

“I want you to do a favor for me.” He said once Eren was finally able to return. 

Eren’s eyebrows lifted in surprise at Levi’s statement. “Okay?” 

“Just stay right there.” He dug into his carry on, extracting the paint chips. He held the first two up near Eren’s face, frowning when neither was correct. 

“What are they?” 

“Paint chips. I’m trying to match the color of your eyes.” He held up a couple more, still frowning. 

“Why?” 

“Because it’s beautiful.” He noticed the blush spread across Eren’s face and looked into the eyes he loved so much. “Truly. I’ve never seen a color quite like it.” He continued to compare paint chips. “Drat.” He finally muttered when he got to the last one. “Still not even close.” 

“Why not just ask Eren over to sit for you?” They both jumped as Hanji draped herself across Eren’s shoulders. “It would save time and paint.” The smile she directed at Levi was mischievous. 

“I could do that.” Eren offered. 

“If you would, that would be wonderful.” Levi smiled, a rare, true smile. It caught both Hanji and Eren off guard, and they stared open mouthed at him. 

“We are making our final descent to Osaka. Flight attendants, please strap in.” 

As the two hurried to complied, Levi realized the air in the plane was chillier than it had been in Tokyo. He pulled the blind on the window up, looking out at swirling white. “Huh. Snow. It’s early this year.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All together now: I- hate Er~win! XD Seriously, though. Could he be any more of an idiot.  
> I know y'all are waiting for something to happen. Things pick up in the next chapter, promise.  
> Oh, and the sadness Levi felt when talking about Paris will be explained in chapter six.  
> Also, this fic had FANART!! Thanks so much to cliveboyblue on tumblr for the art. Check it out: http://cliveboyblue.tumblr.com/post/59036748472/i-began-reading-34-000-feet-above-the-ground-by
> 
> EDIT: I was told the link didn't work, so I found it again and put up the new link^^


	5. Penthouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi should think before he acts

_Chapter 5_

Levi grabbed his bag from the carousel, watching for Eren. He wasn’t going to let another opportunity slip him by. No, this time, he would take that chance. He followed the youth out of the terminal, trying to decide what to say. 

“Oh, wow, it’s snowing!!” Eren’s enthusiastic voice broke through Levi’s thoughts. He looked at Eren, smiling to see him standing on tiptoe, craning his neck around to look at everything. His eyes shone from the city lights reflected off the snow. 

Levi staggered, caught by the sheer beauty of the scene. If he had doubted before his love for the teen, he certainly couldn’t now. He coughed, getting Eren’s attention. “You act like you’ve never seen snow fall.” 

“I have, just not recently. And not this much this soon. Does it always snow like this in Osaka?” 

“It’s early this year, but yes. And it will only get worse during the night. How close is your hotel to here?” 

Oh, the look of horror on Eren’s face. 

“You didn’t book a room?” Levi asked in disbelief. 

“It’s my first time coming to Osaka!” Eren spluttered. “I normally fly to places that friends live, and I can stay with them. So I… kinda… forgot.” 

Levi felt like this opportunity had literally been handed to him. He brushed some of the snow off his arms to take the chance to collect himself. “Would you like to stay with me?” 

Eren turned doe-wide eyes to him. 

_He’s taller than me._ Levi suddenly realized. Having always sat on the plane, he hadn’t noticed it before. It irked him, a little. “The places work gives me to stay are always big enough for more than one person. And the sooner you say yes, the sooner we can get out of the snow.” 

“I… thank you.” 

Levi nodded and hailed a taxi. He gave the address to the driver and sat back in the back seat, noticing how woodenly Eren sat next to him. “Oi, Eren. How do you make friends if you’re so tense?” 

“Normally Hanji introduces me to people.” 

“Ah. Do you live with her?” 

“With Hanji?!” Eren asked incredulously, startled into laughter. “She’s friendly, but not that friendly. She used to babysit Mikasa and me when we were younger. She has her own place, a few streets over from ours. She’s the one who told me about the flight attendant position.” 

“How long have you been a flight attendant?” 

“Um… three years? Yeah, just under three years. It’s hard on Mikasa, and I missed a lot of school, but I really enjoy it. I get to fly to so many places.” 

“Mm.” Levi couldn’t see any appeal in the job. Given the choice, he would never set foot on a plane. Except… he might not have met Eren, then. 

There was about a minute of silence until Eren spoke again. “So, do you still hate flying?” 

Levi glanced at Eren, wondering how much of the truth he should tell him. “It’s tolerable when you’re on the flight.” He smirked with satisfaction as Eren turned pink. They arrived at their destination soon after, so Eren didn’t have to give an answer. Levi paid the driver and they went into the hotel. 

Once they procured the keys, Levi and Eren took the elevator to the floor Levi’s room was on. He opened the door, motioning Eren inside. 

“Wo~ow!” Eren exclaimed, dropping his bags on the floor. 

Levi eyes the puddles they left with distaste, going in search of a hand towel. “I take it you’ve never been in a penthouse.” 

“No Sir.” 

“It’s Levi. I told you that once before.” He sighed happily when the puddles were cleaned. “Anyway, penthouses are always big. Actually, this one’s a little smaller than usual.” He watched Eren’s eyes stray to the king-sized bed. The _only_ bed. “If sleeping in the same bed bothers you, I can ask for another room, one with two beds.” 

“No, this is fine!” Eren protested hastily. “You’re being so nice to me… I wouldn’t want to impose.” 

Levi sighed and threw a clean towel at Eren. “You’re a mess. Go shower. I like my roommates clean.” 

Eren flushed. Digging through his bag, he found a clean change of clothes and darted into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. 

That gave Levi time to sit on the edge of the bed and consider what he’d just done. He was sharing a room, a bed, with the person he liked. And Eren didn’t even know Levi liked him. It was going to be a long night. 

Eren emerged from the shower some time later to find Levi reading. “Levi, you have to try that shower! It has so many different settings!” 

Levi snorted and looked up; the kid was easily amused. His breath caught as Eren came closer, still talking animatedly. Water droplets clung to the male’s hair, and his eyes positively sparkled. Steam still rose off the skin on his arms, testament of how hot a shower he’d taken. 

“Beautiful.” Levi breathed. 

Eren stopped mid-word. “Sorry? What was that?” His eyes widened as Levi gently pulled him closer and pressed their lips together. 

The kiss only lasted a fraction of a second before Levi realized what he’d done. He pushed Eren back, wincing at the confusion on the teen’s face. He had to clear his throat twice before he could speak. “I think I should go take a shower now.” _A cold one_. He fled to the bathroom before Eren could respond. 

He was surprised but happy to find Eren hadn’t left while he was in the shower. It meant he hadn’t destroyed their budding friendship with that kiss. The teen was even sleeping in the bed. Cautiously Levi approached, but Eren’s breathing didn’t change as Levi slid in next to him. It seemed he was a fairly deep sleeper. 

Levi lay on his side, watching Eren sleep. That couldn’t have been his first kiss, could it? He suspected Eren was a virgin, since Hanji had hinted as much. But surely he’d been kissed before? If not, this was going to frustrate Levi to no end. It meant his hot fantasies would have to wait, replaced instead by gentle teaching. Groaning, Levi rolled away from Eren and closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know my chapters are short. I have a tendency to go with shorter chapters to create a longer story.  
> Oooh, so now they've kissed! What will happen next, I wonder?  
> And yeah, couldn't resist the steam coming off Eren's arms. I had to mention that _somewhere_ XD


	6. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Consequences of kissing, and we finally find out why Levi hates flying.

Chapter 6

“Why did you kiss me?” 

Levi blinked sleep from his eyes, reaching into the closet for the suit he’d put there. “Was that your first kiss?” 

“No.” His embarrassed tone had Levi looking at him. “Armin and I were curious, so we tried it, once. But I didn’t ask for you to kiss me, so why did you?” 

Levi sighed, shrugging out of the shirt he’d worn to bed, turning back to the suit. “You were being cute.” Silence behind him had him turning yet again. 

Eren stared openly at Levi’s back. Or rather, at the nasty scar covering the otherwise perfect flesh. “W… what happened?” 

He grimaced and donned his suit top, hiding the scar from view. “Travelling accident. One of the reasons I hate flying.” He quirked an eyebrow as Eren continued to watch him. “You enjoying watching me change clothes?” 

The teen instantly blushed and stammered, looking away. It caused Levi to smile as he quickly finished changing. He sat on the bed to put shoes on. “I have a meeting to attend. We can talk more later. Unless… when do you fly out again?” 

“Not for a couple days.” 

“In that case, go enjoy the city. And tonight I’ll finally treat you to that dinner I promised.” 

Levi was in high spirits that day, a true first for him. He was surprised how positively it affected the outcome of the business meeting. In fact, things were wrapped up before lunch. 

Erwin’s tone held disbelief when Levi called him. “That’s your fastest work yet! Why the sudden switch, Levi?” 

“Some good things happened yesterday. I’m actually thankful to you for sending me on a plane here.” 

Erwin was quiet for a time. “I’ll call the airline and book you a flight home for today.” He said finally. 

“Actually, I wanted to stay here a couple days.” 

Another silence on Erwin’s end of the line. “Very well. I expect you to tell me everything when you return.”  
Dinner was a quiet, if fun, affair. Levi took Eren to a nice restaurant, but not so nice that the teen would have had to dress up for it. He sat quietly, sipping a glass of rich wine, listening to Eren talk about his day and all the fun sights he’d seen. He would never get used to the smiles Eren gave him, but he continued to love every moment with him. 

The nightmare found him that night. He should have expected it; it happened every time someone asked about his scar. But he’d been too caught up in happiness that day to realize. 

Levi was eight. The boy happily boarded the plane. It was his first flight, and he was eagerly looking forward to it. He loved Paris as only a boy born and raised there could, but his mother was finally taking him to see another country. He beamed at his mother as they sat in their assigned seats. When the plane began taxiing down the runway, he bounced in his seat, looking out the window, a huge grin lighting his face. That was the last time the child ever smiled. 

No one ever fully explained what happened. His child ears heard the pop and suddenly there was fire everywhere. The plane was screeching to a stop as people jumped from it, trying to escape the flames. Levi’s mother gathered him in her arms and jumped. 

They hit the ground hard, but Levi was quickly dragged to his feet, his tiny hand clasped in his mother’s. As they ran, the plane behind them exploded. The force of the explosion knocked Levi down. Debris rained around him, hitting him. Something sharp tore into his back, burning, burning, burning. The child screamed, pulling himself free of the debris. He rolled to get rid of the fire on his back. In severe pain, he stood, looking for his mother. “Maman?” He called. ‘Maman.’ A special word he’d created, for the woman he loved the most. 

It didn’t take Levi long to find his mother, unmoving under a pile of debris. “Maman?! _Maaaaaaman!!!!!”_

“Maman!” Levi didn’t realize he was screaming out loud until Eren shook him awake. He looked around with wild, confused eyes, taking in his surroundings. Then he locked eyes with the boy he loved. “Eren? E… Eren?!” 

“It was just a nightmare.” The teen told him soothingly. 

“No. No, it was real.” His body shook harshly. “Eren, may I hold you? Please let me hold you.” 

Eren tensed as Levi’s arms closed around him. But he didn’t stop him. 

Levi buried his head in the boy’s neck, breathing in his scent. It calmed him, slowing the tremors and allowing him to fall back to sleep, this time with no nightmares.  
………………………………………………..  
“Are you French?” 

Levi barely heard the question, hardly even awake as he was. “Nn?” 

“Are you French?” 

“What’s with you and starting the mornings with a question?” He grumbled, wishing the kid was still close enough to hug. But no, he had to be standing next to the bed, out of hugging range. 

“Just answer the question.” 

Levi sighed. “I was once. Now I consider myself Japanese. Why?” 

“During your nightmare, some of what you were screaming was in French.” 

Levi’s ears turned pink. “I… haven’t spoken French in years. I didn’t realize I still knew any.” He sat up, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry I interrupted your sleep.” 

“That’s okay. I was already awake… thinking. Levi… do you like me?” 

He’d been in the process of sliding out of bed, but at those words his body jerked, which somehow caused him to get tangled in the bed sheets. Levi’s face was burning as he looked up at Eren from the floor. “W… why do you ask?” 

“After Armin and I tried it, he said you should really only kiss someone you like. Which is why he and I only kissed once.” 

Levi looked away, but his blush was still very visible. “Hanji said you were oblivious. You look pretty observant to me.” 

Eren’s mouth fell open. “Hanji said that? Well… I admit I don’t know much about relationships. But you kissed me. Which makes it kinda obvious, right?” 

“Is it… too much… to ask you to like me back?” Levi began hesitantly, cursing himself for every pause. “I know you just found out. But… I’ve liked you for a long time.” 

“You’re fun to talk to.” Eren replied. “I enjoy your reactions, and what expressions you make. And yet… I don’t know anything about having a boyfriend. I’m not even sure I’m gay.” 

Levi propped himself on his elbows. “I can teach you.” His tone was mild but his gray eyes burned intensely. Eren hadn’t refused him; he hadn’t said no. “We start with something simple. Help me out of these damn sheets.” 

The teen laughed and kneeled on the floor next to him, reaching toward him. “Really, I don’t know how you even-” 

He was cut off mid-sentence as Levi grabbed him and rolled, trapping the teen beneath him. Those large blue green eyes widened exponentially. 

Levi smirked at him. “So. Between my kiss and Armin’s… who is Armin anyway?” 

“A… a friend.” Eren stammered. “A c… cousin, actually.” 

“Wow, you kissed your cousin?” Levi shook his head. “Between him and me, you’ve only been kissed twice? And not even good kisses at that.” He bent closer. “I’m going to kiss you again, Eren. Close your eyes.” 

Eren did as told, and Levi could feel Eren’s heart rate speed up. Smiling, he closed the distance between them. He kept the kiss light and gentle, but the feelings behind it… Levi nibbled carefully on Eren’s bottom lip. Then he tucked his head under the boy’s chin with a satisfied sigh. “That’s a real kiss.” 

“W… wow.” Eren’s breathless tone sent shivers through Levi. So; the teen could sound like that, after all. He was going to thoroughly enjoy seducing the younger male.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I totally wasn't going to post this chapter this soon. But I did anyway^^  
> So now y'all know why Levi hates flying. Past trauma can do that to you.  
> Only two more chapters left to go. *cries*


	7. Tragedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi's bonding time, and a flight gone wrong.

Chapter 7 

They spent the winter months getting to know each other. When both in Tokyo, they would meet up for lunch, dinner, or sometimes Eren would hang out at Levi’s place. Levi took their relationship slow, agonizingly so. But he didn’t want to scare off the inexperienced male. So they mainly talked, sometimes kissed. On flights, he’d let Eren talk about all the places he’d been, a smile on his face as he listened to the kid speak. Hanji teased them often, but Levi was growing used to the female’s meddling. He was finding he almost considered her a friend. 

One of the craziest things he did during getting to know Eren was book his own flight. He’d secretly found out what flight Eren was going to be on; the destination didn’t really matter to him. Wearing normal street clothes and sunglasses, he’d boarded the plane, sitting in coach class. The person next to him drooled in his sleep, which made Levi’s skin crawl to no end, but he decided Eren’s reaction when he saw him would be worth it. And it was. The teen had made his way down the aisle, _backwards!_ Oh, the things Levi wanted to do. He’d settled for brushing his hand against the teen’s ass. When Eren gave him a startled look, Levi removed his sunglasses, thoroughly enjoying the attendant’s look of surprise. He’d beckoned Eren closer, on the pretense of looking at the menu. When the male was close enough, Levi quickly kissed him, after making sure no one was looking. The fierce blush had been all the reward Levi needed for being on the plane. 

All too soon it was December. They’d had some pretty crazy weather that winter, enough to make Levi worry over the flight attendant. But he always showed up hale, healthy, and happy. Still, Levi worried, wondering if the next flight would be one too many. 

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Eren all but bounced inside when Levi opened the door. 

“Levi!” The teen exclaimed, hugging him. “Guess what, guess what, guess what???!” 

Levi straightened his clothes, eyeing the teen suspiciously. He was never this excited. Over anything. “I’ll probably guess wrong, so why don’t you just tell me?” 

“Hanji and I were asked to be attendants on a flight to Paris!” 

“P… Paris?” Levi repeated. Ice seemed to flow through his veins at the thought. “Eren… the weather is always unpredictable around France this time of year. And the weather here has been crazy enough. Are you sure this is a good idea?” 

“Planes are safe.” Eren assured him. As he always assured him when Levi’s fears got the better of him. “I’ll be okay, really.” He hugged the older male again, gently this time. “Armin and I flew to Paris earlier this year, remember? Nothing bad happened.” 

“Yeah, but-” Levi sighed. The kid would be fine. There was no way what happened to Levi as a child would be repeated. “You’re right; I’m worrying over nothing. When do you leave?” 

“Friday.” 

“In that case, I think we should go celebrate. Come on; I’ll treat you to dinner.”   
…………………………………………………….  
“Hey, Hanji?” Eren’s voice was subdued, nervous even. “Are clouds supposed to look like that?” The attendant pointed out the window as Hanji came closer. 

A giant angry mass of clouds was rising up to meet the descending plane. It looked far scarier than anything they’d seen in the years flying together. 

A voice spoke over the intercom. “Folks, it appears we’re going to fly through some nasty weather. Please remain calm and strap in. We should be on the ground in just a few minutes.” 

Those few minutes never came. Lightning forked around the plane. One bolt struck the plane’s wing at just the wrong angle for it to simply glance off. That combined with the high winds tore the wing from the plane. 

Eren wasn’t strapped in; he couldn’t be. He’d run to his carry on, pulling free the paper with Levi’s name on it. Holding it firmly in his hand, ignoring the screams around him, he began to pray to whatever God was listening as the ground loomed closer. _Levi!_  
……………………………………………  
Levi looked at the clock; Eren’s flight should be reaching the Paris runway any minute. Not too much longer and he’d be able to talk on the phone with the youth. 

“Another good job this time.” Erwin’s voice broke through Levi’s thoughts. “Ever since Osaka, you have been doing an amazing job.” 

“You should give me a raise.” Levi murmured absently. 

“Actually, I should.” His eyes held affection and longing for the other male. “Let’s go get a drink; you look tense.” 

“I’m not… tense… exactly. Just worried.” Levi sighed. “A drink actually sounds nice. As long as you don’t touch me.” 

His boss smirked, thinking he’d finally won Levi over somewhat. “I’ll grab my coat.” 

The bar was loud and filthy, much to Levi’s distaste. But the brandy he ordered tasted pleasant enough. It wasn’t the drink Eren made him, but it was still good. He barely listened to Erwin talking to him, instead looking around. It wasn’t until he actually looked at the televisions the bar had set up that he fully realized what he was hearing. “Wait, what?! Bartender, _turn that up!!!”_

Both the bartender and Erwin looked baffled at the male’s tone, but she complied. Levi’s eyes widened in horror as he listened, not wanting to believe what his eyes were seeing on the tv. A torn and battered plane, burning, three miles from the runway in Paris. The exact airline that Eren flew for. The number of people assumed dead. He didn’t feel the glass fall from his hand. He didn’t hear it shatter on the floor. All he heard was someone desperately screaming Eren’s name. As the bar shrank from sight and darkness closed around him, he realized the one screaming for Eren… was himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, don't kill me! I know this chapter is short, and I know it leaves off in a really bad spot. But I wanted a cliff-hanger somewhere. Don't fret, though. The ending is good, I promise.


	8. Paris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi flies to Paris to deal with the aftermath of the downed flight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys worry way too much^^ Why would I kill Eren?

**Chapter 8**

“Alright. Mm-hm. Thank you.” 

Levi turned over groggily. Why did he feel so hollow? And whose voice was he hearing? Suddenly he remembered what had happened at the bar and he shot upright, clutching his head when pain exploded through it. “Where-?” 

“Your home was closer.” 

Levi blinked, looking around. Sure enough, he saw the ceiling he’d finally gotten around to painting. It was actually the accurate shade of blue green, since Eren had helped him paint it. He smiled at the memory, then looked at Erwin. The blond male gave him a pitying look. “You’ve been asleep for a couple hours now.” He looked down at a piece of paper he held. “Next time you faint, at least give me more information to go on. Only a first name isn’t very helpful. Eren Yeager. Lives with an adopted sister, Mikasa Ackerman. Works for ------------- Airline. Nineteen.” His eyes flashed over to Levi again. “I didn’t know you liked them so young.” He cleared his throat and continued. “Has worked as a flight attendant for three years, thanks to connections with one Hanji Zoe. You know, people usually can’t be attendants until they’re twenty one. It appears this Hanji pulled some strings for your young friend. The plane you saw on the TV was struck by lightning. A lot of people died when it crashed, but there are a couple survivors, although they aren’t releasing names yet.” 

“Hanji and Eren were on that flight.” Levi’s eyes were dull. His heart felt like it was shattering. 

“Yes. But… Levi. The kid might have lived.” 

“He told me it would be fine. He told me flights were _safe!”_ Levi didn’t realize when he lapsed into long forgotten French. His heart was pouring out words, the horror of his past merging with the present. 

Levi’s phone ringing interrupted him, halted him. They both glanced at the phone, but Erwin was the one to answer. “No, I’m sorry, but he’s not feeling well right now. I’m his boss; is there anything I can do? Really? Where? …Alright, I’ll tell him. Yes, yes, we’ll be there as soon as we can. Thank you.” Erwin hung up, looking at Levi. 

Levi couldn’t understand Erwin’s expression. “What?” He muttered sullenly. 

“Eren lived.” 

Two words. Two simple words that catapulted Levi from his bed. He latched onto Erwin’s shirt. _“What?!_ Where is he? How is he? Oh, please is he alright?!” 

The blond carefully extracted Levi’s hands from his shirt, a sad smile on his face. “He means that much to you? Never mind, I can tell by your expression. He’s in a hospital in Paris. They will tell you more when we get there. Grab some clothes; we will take my personal plane for this.” 

They didn’t talk much on the flight there, even though it was just the two of them. Levi was too nervous, too upset. When they passed over the site the other plane had crashed he almost lost it. The weather had cleared, luckily, so they were able to have a safe and smooth landing. 

Levi would have gone running through the hospital if Erwin hadn’t been holding firmly onto his shoulder. Instead, he was steered toward the reception desk. “Eren Yeager?” Erwin asked. “No, I don’t speak French.” He continued when she started to say something to him. 

She nodded and called someone over the intercom, which turned out to be the doctor. 

The doctor looked tired, something Levi noticed right away. “Are you Levi?” The doctor asked him, his English thick with French accent. 

“I am.” 

“Normally, we would contact family first. But he had your number in his hand when he was found. He woke, briefly, after surgery. All he would say was your name. So you are the one that was called. He’s asleep again, but… he didn’t take the news well.” 

“N… news?” Levi asked, nervously. “Why did Eren need surgery?” 

“You weren’t told before you got here? He was badly injured in the crash. We had to amputate his left leg at the knee.” 

Levi swayed, sickened, but Erwin caught him before he could fall. “You say Eren knows?” Erwin asked the doctor. 

“Yes. His screaming was indecipherable after that. The only thing we could make out was the name Levi.” 

“Please… may I see him?” Levi felt shaky, but he needed to see Eren. He needed to confirm the boy was alive. 

Erwin watched the emotions play across Levi’s face. To have made Levi open up like this, to make him so vulnerable, the kid must truly be something. He sighed, knowing he’d lost Levi to him. But he could still have Levi as a friend and a coworker. “I can call his sister and put her on a flight here. But Eren would want to see Levi if he knew he was here.” 

“Very well. Follow me.” 

The look of gratitude Levi shot him hurt. With another sigh, he went to make the phone call. 

“He will need to stay calm.” The doctor told Levi as they walked. “Too much stimulation will hinder the healing process. He’s still in pretty bad shape. If you can’t handle it, say so now.” 

“No, I’ll be fine.” He squashed down the feeling of nausea. There was no way he was going to vomit right now, even if that’s what he wanted to do. “I just need to see him.” 

The doctor nodded, stopping in front of a door. “You won’t be able to stay long. If he needs anything, let us know.” 

Levi took several deep breaths as the doctor walked away. Once he felt like he had himself under control, he opened the door and stepped inside. 

Eren lay in a small hospital bed, too small really for his height. He was connected to so many different monitors. The covers were up, which saved Levi from seeing the disfiguring wound. But some things needed to be seen. Silently, he approached the bed, looking Eren over. Part of Eren’s face was covered with gauze, the kind they used with a burn. Smaller cuts crossed an eyebrow and his other cheek was badly bruised. His left arm was in a splint, testament that it was broken. 

Levi pulled the covers back a little at a time, needing to see the full damage. There was another bandage on Eren’s chest. He shook as he revealed Eren’s legs. One leg, bruised but otherwise fine. The other leg…

He made it into the small bathroom before his stomach fully revolted. Retching harshly, he spilled everything in his body into the toilet. It was exhausting and when he was finally dry, he got onto wobbly legs and rinsed his mouth out in the sink. 

Those beautiful legs. That beautiful graceful walk that he would never see again. Did Eren know he wouldn’t be able to continue working as a flight attendant? Everything destroyed in an instant. 

“L… Levi?” 

That tired, hesitant voice had Levi moving into the room again. He looked into the eyes of his beloved, eyes that now held fear and sadness. He sat carefully in the nearest chair. “Hey, kid. You gave me quite a fright.” Amazingly enough, he managed to keep his voice calm, despite the turmoil he felt inside. 

Eren’s eyes filled with tears. “H… Hanji. Hanji’s dead!” 

Levi winced. At another time he’d think about the woman he had almost considered a friend. Right now, his attention was all on Eren. “It’s okay.” He told him soothingly. 

“S… she pushed me out of the way. I don’t know what happened after that. Oh, Levi, my leg is _gone!!”_

He held the teen as he sobbed, careful of his wounds. He rocked him as best he could, comforting him. 

Eren quieted after a time, but Levi was sure the gut-wrenching sound would never leave his memory. “You came.” The teen finally mumbled. 

“I came.” 

“I thought… you wouldn’t. You hate flying. You hate France.” 

Levi sighed, resting his head on top of Eren’s. “I don’t hate France. But… I haven’t been back since I was eight.” And now he was getting queasy again just thinking about it. “The plane my mother and I were on caught fire… and she died. I was burned by the debris. You saw the scar I have left over from that time. So Paris holds some bad memories for me. But…” Levi swallowed hard. “I… needed to know you were alive, to see you. I can’t lose anyone else.” 

Eren’s hand tightened on Levi’s arm. “You can still care about me? I’m not whole anymore.” 

“That doesn’t matter. You’re still you. And once you heal, we’ll see about prosthetics, if you’d like.” 

“I cried for you. When they told me what happened, all I wanted was for you to be here.” Eren yawned; He was getting tired again. Levi noticed and carefully lowered the boy to the bed. Then he sat back in the chair, watching him. Eren was alive; that was truthfully the only thing that mattered. 

“Levi?” The voice was quiet, only a whisper as Eren struggled to stay awake. 

“Hmm?” 

“I love you.” 

Levi stared and then a smile graced his face. He ruffled the sleeping boy’s hair. “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, that's where I'm ending it. I might do an epilogue of Mikasa meeting Levi and Erwin meeting Eren, but I haven't decided yet. Still, I'm rather happy with the way this story turned out.

**Author's Note:**

> Rating may change, but I don't know yet.  
> Writing Levi as having a fear of flying is so much fun^^


End file.
